Official THE RUMOUR MILL - Player Signings/Transfers ONLY!!!!

[BlackWhiteBlue]

I dunno if AFB at over a mil a year is good business. I dont know if hes the type that will keep this form up, especially once the ink dries on hos contract.

Best case you sign him and get a few highs of top end service from him

Worst case you sign him at huge overs for the output he delivers then u cant move him on as noone will take the weight of the deal

Probable case. You sign him, first year he delivers, then either asks for a release or slows it down

 

[Proud Shark]

I dunno if AFB at over a mil a year is good business. I dont know if hes the type that will keep this form up, especially once the ink dries on hos contract.

Best case you sign him and get a few highs of top end service from him

Worst case you sign him at huge overs for the output he delivers then u cant move him on as noone will take the weight of the deal

Probable case. You sign him, first year he delivers, then either asks for a release or slows it down

I've gone back and forward with this too. The more I think about it though, the more I realise that there aren't many players in the comp you'd pay a million for, yet you need a couple of them in the side (value wise) to win it. If we sign him and get two good years where we are a chance to win, I think it's worth it. If he slows down then, we cover his contract with the loss of Finucane, and potentially someone like BHU and promote juniors through a rebuild in the middle.

If we don't sign him, do we have anyone in the squad that can get us to that level we need to be at to win it? I think it's worth the risk at a million, i don't think I'd get sucked into a bidding war though.

 

[HaroldBishop]

I've gone back and forward with this too. The more I think about it though, the more I realise that there aren't many players in the comp you'd pay a million for, yet you need a couple of them in the side (value wise) to win it. If we sign him and get two good years where we are a chance to win, I think it's worth it. If he slows down then, we cover his contract with the loss of Finucane, and potentially someone like BHU and promote juniors through a rebuild in the middle.

If we don't sign him, do we have anyone in the squad that can get us to that level we need to be at to win it? I think it's worth the risk at a million, i don't think I'd get sucked into a bidding war though.

Yeah a mill at three years would be ideal. Really don't want to be paying 1.2m for four years though.

 

[BlackWhiteBlue]

I've gone back and forward with this too. The more I think about it though, the more I realise that there aren't many players in the comp you'd pay a million for, yet you need a couple of them in the side (value wise) to win it. If we sign him and get two good years where we are a chance to win, I think it's worth it. If he slows down then, we cover his contract with the loss of Finucane, and potentially someone like BHU and promote juniors through a rebuild in the middle.

If we don't sign him, do we have anyone in the squad that can get us to that level we need to be at to win it? I think it's worth the risk at a million, i don't think I'd get sucked into a bidding war though.

This is the problem though, i feel like its an all or nothing play.

Like u sign him and hope like hell in 2 years you get that premiership or the window is slammed shut.

I mean the way he played this year, you have him at your club in any way you can get him.

But signing a player like him to 1.2ish a year for a long term deal is very very slippery. Even having Nicho on that long deal is high risk.

 

[bort]

I've gone back and forward with this too. The more I think about it though, the more I realise that there aren't many players in the comp you'd pay a million for, yet you need a couple of them in the side (value wise) to win it. If we sign him and get two good years where we are a chance to win, I think it's worth it. If he slows down then, we cover his contract with the loss of Finucane, and potentially someone like BHU and promote juniors through a rebuild in the middle.

If we don't sign him, do we have anyone in the squad that can get us to that level we need to be at to win it? I think it's worth the risk at a million, i don't think I'd get sucked into a bidding war though.

While it is not irrelevant don't everyone get too caught up in the exact number.

Keep in mind paying AFB 1.18m (1mil with the ratchet applied since) takes up 9.75% of the cap.
We previously paid Andrew Fifita 850k which represented 12% of the cap.

Is AFB currently peak Andrew Fifita? No, but we'd only be paying him about 3/4 as much (as a percentage of cap).
Fifita wouldn't have had a ratchet (probably) though so by the time he retired in 2022 he would have only been 8.5% of the cap, barely less than AFB despite hardly making our bench, when AFB would be a clear starter.

Ponga is the highest paid NRL player, at 11.6% of the cap.
DCE signed for 1m in 2015 (15.3% of the cap) as 'one of the NRLs first' million dollar players. That's the equivalent of 1.85m against current cap.
A million dollars aint what it used to be.

 

[Hughesy215]

A million dollars aint what it used to be.

Anyone with a slight interest in real estate can back you up there!

 

[Sparkles]

By which point he'll be 32 and in the twilight of his career. There's no way he wins a comp there, especially as Hunt is on the first train out of there + he's old anyway.

If all things are equal, I'm sure the coach makes a difference. As it would if you were a young player looking to improve, but he's not. He's the second best prop in the league by a long way. It'll be cash or comp.

I bet Hunt's attitude would change with AFB there

 

[Sparkles]

Yes... that's what makes them juniors

Don't we prefer juniors over seasoned first graders here?

 

[Proud Shark]

This is the problem though, i feel like its an all or nothing play.

Like u sign him and hope like hell in 2 years you get that premiership or the window is slammed shut.

I mean the way he played this year, you have him at your club in any way you can get him.

But signing a player like him to 1.2ish a year for a long term deal is very very slippery. Even having Nicho on that long deal is high risk.

I completely agree there are risks. I guess where I disagree is the bold. I think if he drops in form after two years, we can mitigate the worst of it by losing Finucane + 1 and promoting a junior.

I think with the current way our pack stands up to the best in the comp, the window is slammed shut now. So unless one or two of our current crop can step up and take it to the best, we'll be in the same situation in a few years. So there is risk in not trying to sign a top 3 prop also.

Are we better to take the risk and almost certainly open the window for 2 years, or take the risk and potentially not open it with this squad.

 

[Proud Shark]

I bet Hunt's attitude would change with AFB there

Possibly, but he's earned heaps of cash, and if he can get a year or two at the broncs or cows with a greater chance to win the comp I think he will take it to finish his career.

 

[Wiz]

I completely agree there are risks. I guess where I disagree is the bold. I think if he drops in form after two years, we can mitigate the worst of it by losing Finucane + 1 and promoting a junior.

I think with the current way our pack stands up to the best in the comp, the window is slammed shut now. So unless one or two of our current crop can step up and take it to the best, we'll be in the same situation in a few years. So there is risk in not trying to sign a top 3 prop also.

Are we better to take the risk and almost certainly open the window for 2 years, or take the risk and potentially not open it with this squad.

take the risk

Our forwards are nowhere near the top, we need a big dog

AFB form has never dropped and he’s always been one of the best props in the game, he’s still in a good age window.

3 years of AFB is ten times more valuable than 3 years of Uele and Rudolph as our big dogs

 

[Deleted member 3365]

take the risk

Our forwards are nowhere near the top, we need a big dog

AFB form has never dropped and he’s always been one of the best props in the game, he’s still in a good age window.

3 years of AFB is ten times more valuable than 3 years of Uele and Rudolph as our big dogs

I reckon he could help up the game for our current forwards, especially for our bigger guys such as Hunt, Uele and Kaufusi.

 

[egg]

Colquhoun?

Also Crouch

Cocco imo is closer to being a Jack Williams type than a normal prop. A bit smaller but very high energy.

McCullough goes alright too. Wears 13 but is a big unit.

Any likely to be of Rep standard?

 

[Seenoevil]

take the risk

Our forwards are nowhere near the top, we need a big dog

AFB form has never dropped and he’s always been one of the best props in the game, he’s still in a good age window.

3 years of AFB is ten times more valuable than 3 years of Uele and Rudolph as our big dogs

Or a big shark , make the rest of the comp need a bigger boat aha
He is worth it, nobody has a crystal ball, but if you want big, you gotta think big

 

[BurgoShark]

Any likely to be of Rep standard?

They're not until they are.

Cotter was a hooker who looked like he might retire 3 years ago. Has now won a Wally Lewis medal and played for Australia as a running forward.

There are very few Payne Haas type players running around. Dubbed for stardom at 17.

 

[egg]

They're not until they are.

Cotter was a hooker who looked like he might retire 3 years ago. Has now won a Wally Lewis medal and played for Australia as a running forward.

There are very few Payne Haas type players running around. Dubbed for stardom at 17.

Fair enough , was just hoping there was one ripping it apart .
BUT , get the gist that some make it from nowhere and others like Pele , might NEVER make it

 

[Seenoevil]

Fair enough , was just hoping there was one ripping it apart .
BUT , get the gist that some make it from nowhere and others like Pele , might NEVER make it

That was strange with Pele , well i thought, he obviously was close to Andrew Fifita, I recall Andrew saying at his retirement it was time for him to make way for Franky
So he must've thought he had something, or maybe it was just because they were friends
Anyways who knows maybe he comes back from England a different player

 

[bort]

I know, long bloody post, look three team lists doesn't help alright!

Fair enough , was just hoping there was one ripping it apart .
BUT , get the gist that some make it from nowhere and others like Pele , might NEVER make it

Even if they are chopping up at those younger ages it is super hard to tell for most how they will progress

1. Nick Meaney Newcastle Knights
2. Isaac Lumelume Cronulla Sharks
3. Jesse Ramien Cronulla Sharks
4. Curtis Scott Melbourne Storm
5. Reuben Garrick St George Illawarra Dragons
6. Jai Field St George Illawarra Dragons
7. Troy Dargan Parramatta Eels
8. Emre Guler Canberra Raiders
9. Reece Robson St George Illawarra Dragons
10. Blake Lawrie St George Illawarra Dragons
11. Cameron Murray South Sydney Rabbitohs
12. Jack Murchie Canberra Raiders
13. Nat Butcher Sydney Roosters
14. Victor Radley Sydney Roosters
15. Ray Stone Parramatta Eels
16. Stefano Hala Penrith Panthers
17. Billy Magoulias Cronulla Sharks
18. Jai Whitbread Brisbane Broncos

2017 NSW U20 side, all played at least 1 game NRL besides I think Hala. How many are rep stars? Murray and Radley? Then probably Robson, Garrick and Ramien the next tier, with Field thrown in for his ESL exploits. A few others had pretty good 2023s.

Bar the superstars who crack NRL before 20 these are the best NSW players at that age and many are hardly huge stars now. Not easy to talent ID which current SG Ball players are future senior rep stars when the best blokes at 20 aren't guaranteed to be.

Here's the 20 man squad from 2020
1 Tex Hoy (Newcastle Knights)
2 Tuipolota Katoa (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
3 Stephen Crichton (Penrith Panthers)
4 Ethan Parry (Parramatta Eels)
5 Jason Saab (St George Illawarra Dragons)
6 Cooper Johns (Melbourne Storm)
7 Brandon Wakeham (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
8 Spencer Leniu (Penrith Panthers)
9 Sam Verrills (Sydney Roosters)
10 Oregon Kaufusi (Parramatta Eels)
11 Teig Wilton (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
12 Matthew Doorey (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
13 Darby Medlyn (Canberra Raiders)
14 Luke Huth (Newcastle Knights)
15 Stefano Utoikamanu (Parramatta Eels)
16 Matt Croker (Newcastle Knights)
17 Ky Rodwell (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
18 Tommy Talau (Wests Tigers)
19 Alex Seyfarth (Wests Tigers)
20 Phoenix Crossland (Newcastle Knights)

Crichton probably only one here you could call a guaranteed rep standard player. Leniu and Stefano are around that level. Like above a few others had good 2023 and still plenty of ceiling to hit.

It was U19s this year and I think only one has made NRL debut from that side, so hard to confidently assess who of our 17/19 year olds has a big future.

And if you wanna look even further at how hard talent ID of the younger teams is here is NSW U16 squad from 2017

Jackson Topine Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Damon Smith Cronulla Sharks
Thomas Demeio Cronulla Sharks
Douglas Levi Cronulla Sharks
Blake Dowel Illawarra Steelers
Connor Muhleisen Illawarra Steelers
Max Feagai Illawarra Steelers
Mathew Feagai Illawarra Steelers
Aaron Schoupp Illawarra Steelers
Jack Walsh Illawarra Steelers
Filimaua Filimaua-Tau Manly Sea Eagles
Alec Tuitavake Manly Sea Eagles
Ben Trbojevic Manly Sea Eagles
Josh Schuster Manly Sea Eagles
Kaeo Weekes Manly Sea Eagles
Albert Hopoate Manly Sea Eagles
Harry Croker Newcastle Knights
Jaron Purcell Newcastle Knights
Max Buderus Newcastle Knights
Kobe Davies Newcastle Knights
Cooper Jenkins Newcastle Knights
Patrick Achurch Newcastle Knights
Bradman Best Newcastle Knights
David Hollis Parramatta Eels
Sam Hughes Parramatta Eels
Jed Edwards Parramatta Eels
Tyler Field Parramatta Eels
Kobe Rugless Sydney Roosters

Think that's 12 NRL players from a squad of 28 who are now around 22 and I know who very few of the others are.

 

[Up-Up Cronulla]

Went down for a swim at lunch at Oak Park and ran into one of our current props. Said g'day and asked what he thought of the AFB situation and if he would even consider going to NZ. Said he's not interested in going there and he thinks it would be a mistake to sign AFB because he wants too much money. Think he said the squad has 20 guys off-contract at the end of next year, and signing AFB would mean guys who don't want to leave the group would have to look elsewhere. The next minute, Luke Lewis turns up and had a great chat with him about the 2016 GF he's still stoked like us all. Good day for a Sharks fan down the beach today.

 

[Flanno]

Went down for a swim at lunch at Oak Park and ran into one of our current props. Said g'day and asked what he thought of the AFB situation and if he would even consider going to NZ. Said he's not interested in going there and he thinks it would be a mistake to sign AFB because he wants too much money. Think he said the squad has 20 guys off-contract at the end of next year, and signing AFB would mean guys who don't want to leave the group would have to look elsewhere. The next minute, Luke Lewis turns up and had a great chat with him about the 2016 GF he's still stoked like us all. Good day for a Sharks fan down the beach today.

That’s no reason to not want to sign one of the best players in the comp. Gotta pay for the best. If those players are important enough the club will prioritise them and make room in the cap to keep them.

But I guess players/coaches/fans will always look at things differently